Rochdale Central Library Is Open - Official!

Saturday 27th April will stick in my memory for a long, long time.
For all the right reasons.
Rochdale Central Library planned the day to mark the official opening in the brand new building of Number One Riverside. Nick Oldham, Tommy Donbavand and Craig Bradley provided the "headline acts" in terms of authors and in Craig's case "PERFORMANCE" poet - and anyone who has seen Craig in action will know why I put that in capitals. Nick is a crimewriting novelist and spoke admirably of his craft. Tommy is the author of Scream Street - and more, a notable more being Doctor Who. I'd recommend any school to book him.
Norman Warwick acted as Master of Ceremonies for us and did his usual brilliant job. Norman was also commissioned to write a poem for the library, which he did and performed with aplomb. Norman was ably assisted by yours truly as the second voice and members of Touchstones Creative Writing Group displaying the words of the middle section of the poem as it was read. I have to say when I first read the poem it brought a lump to my throat as it hit the spot so well and so eloquently.
There were many opportunities for families to get involved in creative writing on the day, prizes were offered for the best Book Spine Poem and the best Kenning. The Where's Wally Treasure Hunt proved very popular with over 70 entries. Younger children were not forgotten with a colouring competition to try out their skills and Irene Peachey was on hand to sign them up for Bookstart Bear Club. The Reverend Margaret Smith was a star, volunteering to help make sure the children knew exactly what was going on and her routine for "Is poetry cool or does it leave you in a spin?" has to be seen to be believed. Vickke did us proud with her face painting, a riot of colour and character in every face.
Jason Grimshaw aka Ryan Thomas opened Bean coffee shop, much to the delight of many teenage girls.
 The whole place was really buzzing, I look forward to keeping the feel good factor going for a long time yet.

World Book Night 2013

On the 23rd April 2013 on the 18:36 Northern Rail from Rochdale to Sowerby Bridge, eight valiant (well it is also St. George's Day) book lovers gifted over a hundred volumes to travellers. We hope it added a pleasant touch to their journey and indeed the rest of their evening. Staff from Rochdale Borough Libraries volunteered to gift the books in their own time.
Our journey was made pleasant by the friendly Northern Rail Staff, the conductor, guard or whatever the job title is these days, announced World Book Night over the tannoy and explained that we would be making our way along the train. William Shakespeare himself, I am certain, would have been proud of us celebrating his birthday in this fashion.

Donald Maxwell

I was delighted to see a Donald Maxwell in the window of a bookshop in Howarth, even more so when I stepped through the portal of the establishment of Hatchard and Daughter. Failing in my mission here to copy the style of a writer and artist at the turn of the 20th Century. Donald Maxwell (1877-1936) lived in the village of my birth, Borstal, near Rochester, Kent.
I was even more delighted when the well read bookshop owner, who I took to be "And Daughter" produced another Maxwell to accompany "Travels With a Sketch Book." Until that moment I had not realised that Maxwell was a renowned war artist as well as a, shall I call him, travel writer. I left the establishment two volumes of Maxwell richer and a credit card transaction poorer, failing again to ape the style of my hero and his writing. My dear lady wife brought my attention to a volume in the window of said "Hatchard and Daughter" and, after a breakfast repast, I returned to that esteemed establishement to enquire about "Perambulations with a Parson." To my delight "And Daughter" produced a third Maxwell, but I declined, failing only in my third attempt at the style of the era, as I felt my constitution could take no more excitement that day, my reading would absorb all the rest of my time that week and my bank account would suffer.

Who Knows Where the Time Goes

So much to do, so little time. I've been so busy doing I've had no time for reporting. I've discovered Book Spine Poetry, so many of my sessions with classes of children have been devoted to that. So much so that I'm currently judging a competition we ran in Rochdale for schools to submit their Book Spine poems. The winner gets a days storytelling from me.